PD-L1 and Other Immunological Diagnosis Tools

Abstract

As immunotherapy has joined the ranks of mainstay cancer treatment modalities, biomarkers of response and resistance have become highly sought after. Pretreatment biomarkers have the potential to facilitate rational patient selection, perhaps even for those patients who demonstrate unconventional response patterns such as a delayed response or tumor “progression” before evident regression. Immune-related adverse events, some severe, are also observed with this group of agents. Biomarkers of response could help practitioners avoid exposing patients who are unlikely to respond to these potential immune-related side effects. Additionally, the elevated cost of the therapies is another factor driving intensive study in this area.